The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

There are some allega ions made for relieving such; but they are undue allegations, and may easily be answered; The chiefest of them is this.

¹1. Christ commandeth to give to every man that asketh thee.

1. 1Luk. 6.30.

Ans. To this I answer, that that Precept is to be taken in reference to a false Position of the Pharisees, which was this, that their Countrymen ⟨p. 293⟩and friends only were their neighbours, whom by the Law they were bound to love. That this was their opinion, is evident by this their gloss on the Law; Thou shalt love thy neighbour, ¹and hate thine enemy. And by the Parable which Christ produceth to demonstrate to the Lawyer, who was his neighbour. In opposition to that false doctrine, Christ commands to give, not to friends only, but to every man. ²So as the scope of that precept is, to take away respect of persons in Alms-giving: that we should not restrain this duty of Charity to Country men, kindred, and friends; but extend it also to strangers, enemies, and to every one, that being in need, crave it of us.

Ans. To this I answer, that that Precept is to be taken in reference to a false Position of the Pharisees, which was this, that their Countrymen